Vertical retort



G. W. WALLACE VERTICAL REToRT G50/mf YV. YY/uLnff'j 3M Maqlromvfya f 2 Shana-Shut 2 Sept. 23, |924.

ffl

. @er W WHL/.H65 y Mfolwfy.

Patented Sept. 23, 1924.

UNITED STATES.

PATENT oFFlcE.

GEORGE W. WALLACE, lOF EAST ST. vLOUIS, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY ASSIGN- MENTS, TO ECONOMIC WARE. y

CARBONIZATION COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF DELA- VERTICAL ItETORT.

Application led January 3, 1921. Serial No. 434,525.

This invention' relates to. vertical retorts of the kind that are used for distilling o-il shale, coal and other bituminous sub-stances.

My present invention relates to a retort of the t pe described in my prior apparatus Patent No. 1,283,000, dated October 29, 1918,

that isequipped with a perforated take-off duct which constitutes the sole outlet for the gases, vapors and liquids evolved in the` distilling operation and which is arranged in the retort in such a manner that it can be lowered into a pit located beneath the retort so as to discharge the contents of the retort at the termination of the. distilling operation.

In the retort described in my said prior patent the lower end of the take-oft' duct communicates with an off-take pipe or eduction pipe that has to be disconnected from the lower end of the retort and swung laterally out of alignment with the retort before the take-off duct can be lowered into the pit to ldischarge the contents of the retort.

There is a sealedtjoint between the remov-v able bottom of the. retort and the lower edge of the side wall of the retort and the eduction pipe is also connected to the bottom portion of the retort by a sealed joint, thus requiring two sealed ,joints to be broken each time the retort is discharged. Furthermore, it is necessary with such a retort to have a workman go into the pit and break the seal that connects the eduction pipe -to the lower end portion of .the retort and then swing said eduction pipe out of the way before the bottom closure for the retort can 'be opened." y

Themain object of my present inventionv is to provide a retort olf the 4general type abovereferred to which is so. construoted that it is not necessary to use a separate sealed joint between the lower end' of the take-off duet and the eduction pipe or suction main through-which t e evolved gases,

`vapors and liquids escape rom the take-olf z. v

'Another object is to provide a retort of the general type referred to which is so conv structed that it is not necessary to have a workman go into the pit, disconnect the eduction pipe from the lower end of the retort and move said eduction pipe into an inoperative position prior to lowering the take-'ofi' duct into the pit to disch-arge the contents of the retort.

Another object is to provide a retort for practicing the process described in my prior i process Patent No. 1,283,001, dated October 29, y1918, which is of such design that is is practicable to arrange a number of relatively large retorts in a bench or single setting. l

And still another object is to provide a vertical\ retort of the type that is equipped with a perforated take-oil' duct which is so constructed that the portion of said take-0H duct through which the gases, vapors and liquids escaperto the suction main can be cleaned out when the take-off duct is arranged in operative position in the retort and without the necessity of first disconnect- 'ing the take-olf duct from the suction main or eduction pipe. Other objects and desirable features of my invention will be hereinafter vpointed out.

To this end I have devised a vert-ical retort' that is of substantially oblong shape in horizontal cross section and which is equipped with' a perforated take-off duct arranged inside of same and of corresponding shape in horizontal crosssection. The retort is p-rovided at its lower end with an extension equipped with a removable closure or cover, and the take-off duct is provided with a discharge portion that terminates inside of said extension Aand communicates with a lateral outlet on said extension which leads to a' suction main or off-take pipe in which a suction or partial vacuum 1s created so as to cause the gases, vapors -and liquids evolved in the distilling opera.- tion to pass inwardly through the coolest portion of the material in the distilling chamber, into the take-off duct-and thence travel downwardly through said take-olf duct to the suction main, according to the lprocess disclosed in m prior process Patent described I overcome the necessity of providing a separate sealed joint between the take-off duct and the eduction pipe,`due,' of course, Ito the fact that the joint between the take-off duct and the eduction pipe is located within the extension at the lower end of the retort, which extension -is sealed or cut off from the atmosphere by the removable closure or cover arranged at the lower end of said extension.' v l -Figure 1 of the drawings is a vertical longitudinal sectional View of a retort constructed in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view of the retort shown in Figure l; and

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view of said retort.

Referring to the drawings which illustrate the preferred form of my invention, A designates a vertical retort which is of substantially oblong shape in horizontal cross section, as shown in Figure 3, .and B designates a perforated take-off duct inside of said retort which constitutes the sole. outlet for the gases, vapors and liquids evolved in the distilling operation. the take-ofi'l duct B extending vertically through the retort and being provided with orifices 1 through which the gases, vapors and liquids escape into the take-off duct from the distilling chamber. The upper end of the takeoff duct B is closed and the lower end of said -take-oft' duct communicates with a suction main or eduction pipe C in which a partial vacuum or suction is created so as to cause the gases, vapors and liquids evolved from the material in the distilling chamber that surrounds the take-olfduct to pass into the take-oil'l duct through the -oriices 1 in same and then flow downwardly through same to the eduction pipe C before said gases, vapors and liquids can undergo secondary decomposition, the retort A' being heated externally by any suitable means, such, for example, as gas flues D arranged at the sides of same, as shown in Figure 2.

The retort A can be constructed from any .suitable material and it can be either a monolithic structure or a built up structure. In the form of my invention herein illustrated the retort is constructed of tile that are formed of fire clay or silica and which are provided with (zo-operating tongues and 'grooves so as to prevent the escape of the gases and vapors from the distilling chamy"bar "UThe retort is provided at its lower end with an extension E, preferably made of metal and formed either by a single hols low member or a plurality of superimposed sleeves that conform in general outline to the horizontal cross sectional shape of the retort, said extension being provided with a removable cover E that forms a closure for the bottom end of the retort. The upper end of the retort is closed-by a removable cover F that is seated in a metal collar G arranged at the up er end of the retort.

The take-off duct B can be constructed from any suitable material, but said takeofi' duct preferably consists of a shell connected at its upper end to a head piece 2 that is adapted to co-operate with a hoisting mechanism 2a and connected at its lower end to a discharge portion H equipped with an inclined discharge spout 3 whose lower end communicates with a lateral outlet 4 on the extension E of the retort which leads to the suction main or eduction pipe C,I as shown in Figure 1. When the take-off duct is arranged in operative position in the retort the discharge spout 3 of said take-oli' duct will be located within the extension E at the lower end of the retort. Consequently, it is not necessary to use a gasket or other sealing device in the joint between the discharge spout 3 of the take-ofi' duct and the lateral outlet iP on the extension E of the retort. In such a retort the. only joints that require to be sealed are the two joints for the closures F and E at the upper` and lower ends of the retort.

The material in the distilling chamber is supported by a laterally projecting flange 5 on the takeoff duct arranged adjacent the lower end of same, as shown in Figure 1, and in practice I prefer to provide the discharge portion H of the take-off duct with a laterally projecting flange 6 having a beveled surface that co-operates with a beveled surface 7 at the upper end of the extension E so as to separate the distilling chamber from the interior of the extension E at the lower end of the retort in which the discharge spout 3 of the take-off duct is arranged. Accordingly, my improved retort may be said to comprise two chambers that are separated from each other by a laterally-projecting flange' on the take-off duct that becomes seated automatically when the take-off duct is moved upwardly into operative position in the retort, the discharge spout at the lower end of the take-off duct being arranged within thc bottom chamber,

and said bottom 4chamber being scaled or cut ran ed transversely underneath same and havmg their free -ends co-operating with latches 9, as shown in Figure 2. If desired, the bars 8 can be ejuipped with clamping screws 8, as shown in Figure 1 that are adapted to be screwed upwardly so as to force the bottom cover E of the lretort tightly against the lower end of the extension lu so as to produce a tight joint for the bottom cover or closure of the retort, it being the usual practice to arrange a gasket betweenthe closure E and the extension E of the retort. The discharge spout 3 of the take-ofi' duct is provided with a'concaved bottom wall that is inclined ,downwardly towards the lateral outlet 4 in the extension E so as to cause the liquids which enter the take-oil'l duct to iow from same into the suction main C, and if desired, a clean out opening can be formed in the T-shaped fitting 10 that connects. thesuction main C with the lateral outlet 4 so as to enable a tool to be run through the lateral outlet 4 into the discharge spout 3 of the take-off duct to' clean same when the take-olf duct is arranged in operative position in the retort and without the `necessity of first breaking a joint between saidtake-of duct and the eduction pipe, said clean out opening being normallyclosed by a closure indi cated as an entirety by the reference character 11 in Figure l. herein shown the bottom cover E of the retort separate and distinct from the takeofil duct, this is not essential, for if desired, the bottom cover of the retort can be integrally connected to the take-'ofi' duct, or rather, to the discharge portion H at the lower end ofthe take-off duct.

The distilling apparatus above described operates in the same manner as the apparatus described in my prior Patent No. 1,283,000, but it is an improvement on my said prior apparatus, in that it overcomes the .necessity of usin a gasket or sealing device between the discharge end of the take-oit' duct and the off-take pipe leading to the suction main; it overcomes Ythe necessity of using a swivel joint in the off-take pipe, as is necessary when said Oft-take pipe is directly connected to the bottom closure of the retort, and it overcomes the necessity of having a workman go into the pit, disconnect the off-take pipe from the retort and then swing the oit-take pipe vout of alignment with the retort preparatory -to lowering the take-off duct to discharge the contents of the retort. As the retort is oblong-shaped in cross section, it is practicable to arrangea number of relatively large vretorts or retorts of great capacity in a bench or single Isetting, due, of course, to the fact lthat the width or transverse dimension of each retort is materially less than the transversedimension of a circular retort of the While I have same capacity. And still another desirable feature of my present apparatus is that the discharge end of the take-ofi' 'duct can be cross section provided at its lower end with i an 'extension having a lateral outlet in the side of the same, a removable take-oit' duct in said retort of corresponding horizontal cross sectional shape that constitutes the' sole outlet for the gases, vapors and liquids evolved in the distilling operation,v and a discharge portion at the lower end of said take-oit' duct, arrangedy within the extenT sion at the lower end of said retort and provided with a vdischarge opening that communicates with the lateral extension. j I

2. An apparatus for distilling bituminous substances, comprising a vertical retort, a removable perforated take-off duct in said retort that is adapted to be withdrawn from the lower end of the retort, a stationary o/utlet in saidv suction pipe combined with the retort, and a disch-arge portion at the lower end of said duct that moves automatically into and out of operative relationship with said Suction. pipe when said duct is inserted in and withdrawn from the retort.

3. An apparatus tor distilling bituminous substances, comprising a vertical retort of approximately oblong shape in horizontal cross section, a removable, vertically-disposed, perforated take-ofi' duct in said retort of substantially the salme horizontal cross-sectional shape as the retort that is adapted to be withdrawn fromv the lower end of the retort, means for externally heating the retort, means for'sealing ofl" the portion of the retort that contains thev material beingdistilled, a lateral discharge portion at the lower end of the take-oit duct arranged below said sealing means, and a stationary suction pipe combined with the retort in such a way that said discharge portion will move into and out of registration with same when the take-ofi' duct is inserted in and withdrawn from the retort.

4. An apparatus for distilling bituminous substances, comprising a vertical retort, a removable, perforated take-off duct in said retort that constitutes the sole outlet for the A distilling apparatus for bituminoussubstances, comprising a vertical retort provided' adjacent one end with a lateral out* let, a'suctiony main communicating with said outlet, a removable take-oil' duct in said retort adapted-to be withdrawn from one end of the retort and-provided with a discharge opening. that aligns with said lateral outlet when the take-off duct is in operative posi- -tion in the retort, and a removable closure for the end of the retort through which the take-oli:l duct is withdrawn.

6. An apparatus for distilling bituminous substances, comprising a vertical retort provided adjacent its lower end with a lateral outlet, a suction main or olf-take pipe permanently combined with the retort and communicating with said lateral outlet, a removable closure for the lower end of the retort,

v and a removable take-olf'duct' in said retort provided adjacent its lower end with an inclined spout or discharge-portion that communicates with said lateral outlet when the take-olf duct is'in operative position in the retort.y 1 r 7. An apparatus for distilling bituminous substances, comprising a vertical retort pro-- vided adjacent one end with a lateral outlet-, a suction main or oit-take pipe communi- .eating withsaid outlet, a take-olif duct in said retort adapted to be withdrawn through one end of the retort and provided with means for sealing off the section of thel retort from which said outlet leads, said takeolii'-l duct having a discharge portion' thatl communicates l with said lateral outlet when.

the ytakefoil'duct is in operative position in 4the retort, and a removable closure for the end of the retort through which the takeoi' duct is withdrawn.

8. An apparatus for distilling bituminous substances, comprising a vertical retort provided with openings at its upper and lower ends, removable closures-for said openings, a lateral outlet in the side' of the retort adjacent the lower end of same, a suction main or olf-take pipe communicating with said outlet, a' removable take-olf duct in said retort that is adapted to be lowered through the lower end of th'e retort by a hoisting mechanism connected to the upper end of the take-ofi' duct, and adischarge portion at the lower end of the take-offduct that aligns with the lateral outlet of the retort when the take-off duct is in operative position in the retort.

9. An apparatus for distilling bituminous substances, comprising a vertical retort provided adjacent its lower end with an extension that forms a chamber which is located below the distilling chamber of the retort, a lateral outlet leading from said lower chamber, a removable take-oli' duct in the retort provided at its lower end with a discharge portion that communicates with said lateral outlet when the take-oli' duct is in operative position in the retort, and means on said take-oit duct for separating the distilling chamber from the lower chamber of `the retort. j

10. An apparatus for distilling bitumlnous substances, comprising a vertlcal retort provided adjacent its lower end with a lateral outlet, a removable take-oil duct in said retort provided adjacent its lower end with an inclined discharge spout that communicates with said outlet when the'take-o duct is in operative position in the retort, a closure for the lower end of the retort, means for enabling a cleanin tool to be inserted through said lateral out et into the discharge s out of the take-oiduct, and means for dividing lor separating the distilling chamber ofthe retort from the lower end ortion of the retort :from which said latera outlet leads.

- GEORGE w. WALLACE. 

